ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Facile co-precipitation synthesize of CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ heterostructure for sustainable sunlight photodegradation of organic dyes and antibacterial activity

Nagesh Sarojini Devi, Ravi Renuka Devi, Ashish Kumar Nayak, Rekha Pachaiappan, Kovendhan Manavalan, Lorena Cornejo-Ponce, and Thanikaikarasan Sethuramachandran

Department of Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Saveetha University, Chennai, India

E-mail: nashish.iitg@gmail.com

Received: 27 July 2025  Accepted: 7 January 2026

Abstract:

Abstract

This research highlights the enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic activity of a CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite, fabricated through a straightforward and economical co-precipitation approach. Physico-chemical properties were analyzed through various studies such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The photocatalytic efficiency of nanocomposite was evaluated against azo dyes. The particle size was found to be ~ 15 nm from XRD and in the range of ~ 10 nm from TEM estimated using ImageJ software. Observed band gap energy for CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite was ~ 2.7 eV calculated from Tauc plot using UV-DRS analysis. Addition of g-C₃N₄ was confirmed by survey spectra of XPS analysis. The valence spin with binding energy were studied for the prepared CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite. The CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ acted as a supreme photocatalyst to reduce two different dyes such as methylene blue and Congo red with higher efficiency of 84% and 76% at 70 min under solar light excitation. The appreciable result was credited to the CeO₂@g-C₃N₄ heterostructure matching energy levels, which promoted the movement and decrease the recombination rate of photo induced charge carriers.

Graphical abstract

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Keywords: g-C3N4; CeO2; Photocatalyst; Solar light; Dye degradation; Antibacterial activity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04663-2

Chemical Papers 80 (4) 3941–3959 (2026)